Automobiles and other vehicles are highly prevalent in the modern era, with many people in the United States, and the world, owning not just one but a plurality of automobiles. They are used for many reasons, such as transportation of goods and people from one location to another, for sport, for cruising, and for many other purposes. Indeed, it is estimated that there are almost 260 million registered vehicles in the United States, with many of these vehicles on the road at any given time.
With the sheer numbers of vehicles in operation in the United States, and the world for that matter, automobile accidents can be quite common. Indeed, in 2009 it is estimate that there were about 10.8 million automobile accidents in the United States alone, with many, unfortunately, resulting in fatalities and many, many more resulting in injuries and almost all resulting in automobile damage. The cost of damage to body and automobile is simply staggering.
Witnesses are oftentimes necessary to determine what happened during an automobile accident. In many cases, a driver may be focused on something else, such as the road in front of him or her, and may have little to no knowledge of what is happening around his or her car. Witnesses can often provide clues and testimony to establish what happened during an automobile accident, and how to apportion blame relating to the same.
However, in many cases, there simply are no witnesses to aid in the determination of accident causation. Many times, a driver may be involved in a single automobile accident, meaning that he or she may have struck an impediment, or been struck by an object or another vehicle, and may, as explained above, have no knowledge of how it happened. Moreover, drivers may be involved accidents involving two or more vehicles, where the drivers may either have no recollection or knowledge of how it happened, or may have different recollections of what happened during the accident. Further, witnesses, whether drivers or other individuals that may witness an accident, may have faulty recollections or may have reason to lie to investigators regarding an accident.
For example, a very large issue with respect to automobile accidents involves so-called “hit and run” accidents, where an automobile may be struck by another vehicle and the other vehicle may leave the scene, never to be heard from again. In many cases, the driver has no knowledge of what happened during the accident, especially if struck from behind or from the side, due to being focused on the road ahead. In other cases, the driver may be injured or worse, and the driver may have no ability to communicate specific information about the accident to investigators. In cases such as these, the driver of the other vehicle may get away with causing the accident, and may escape the blame and the cost that normally would have been attributed to them.
The ability to apportion blame in an automobile accident is important due to the staggering costs of automobile usage in this country and around the world. Automobiles are expensive and can be very dangerous to individuals. Oftentimes, experts hired by insurance companies are brought in to review automobile accidents to ensure that the proper party bears the brunt of blame, whether that party is the insured or someone else. However, it may be difficult, after the accident has already happened, to piece together the true details about the accident.
Of course, there may be other circumstances that one would wish to know more about the usage of a vehicle, such as in situations where an accident almost happened, but was avoided, during a burglary or vandalism of the automobile, or for any other reason.
A need, therefore, exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle during usage thereof. More specifically, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle to determine specific facts about the vehicle usage at a particular time.
Moreover, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle during a traumatic event, such as an accident, a burglary, vandalism, or other like event, to determine specific facts about the event. In addition, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle during circumstances where a user merely wishes to know specific information about the vehicle and the external surroundings of the vehicle at a particular time.
In addition, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle to record data and information useful for reconstructing or otherwise determining the cause of an accident. More specifically, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle to record data and information useful to apportion blame and damages to those who should be held responsible for the accident.
Further, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle allowing a user to receive data relating to a particular event or series of events during vehicular usage. Still further, a need exists for apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle to allow for apportionment of blame in a traumatic event, such as an accident, a burglary, vandalism or the like.